Homecoming
by walkswithwheels
Summary: "Despite all my travels… No matter how far away I was… I promised my family they could count on me being home for Christmas. And every year, I kept my word. Now, for the first time, I'd broken my promise." AU, One-shot, Fourth part of the Traveler series, Written for The Artist's Zone Christmas Challenge, Companion fic to future fic Usurping


**Welcome to another one shot in the Traveler series! This is a companion fic to the future story Usurping, and takes place in the same universe as the other current fics in the Traveler series. Reading them is not required to understand the story. However, it is recommended to read Knowledge before this. This is because the story deals with events and a certain character mentioned in that one.**

 **As always, I do not own Pokémon and see the author's notes for details.**

 **Also worth noting that the style in this fic is a bit different from previous ones, for reasons that will be explained in the author's notes.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Homecoming**

Night had fallen over Cerulean, and the city slumbered. The Pokémon Center was no exception, all of the Trainers sleeping soundly in their beds.

All of them, except for me.

Instead, I tossed and turned, slamming hard onto the bed sheets. It sounded like an earthquake, and I was surprised I didn't wake anyone up. My bed felt like solid rock, and my covers had become a tangled mess.

I knew I should've been asleep a long time ago. Otherwise I would have trouble the day after.

But I just couldn't forget what had happened earlier today.

Just a few hours ago, I, Kristine, had been merely a wandering Trainer.

But now…

I had been attacked by another Trainer…

Found someone who claimed to be an old friend but really wasn't…

Met up with someone who actually was my friend and got an angry, but well-meaning lecture…

Got my attacker arrested in front of me…

Agreed to journey in her place…

And finally, I had chosen to participate in a study I was almost completely unfamiliar with, given to me from someone who I only knew from scattered memories…

After that…

I found I couldn't handle everything that happened…

So a panic attack had followed…

 _Typical._

Of course, Tulip had been there to calm me down… And my new companions, Anabel, Kahili, and Lucy, had helped too…

But it still wasn't enough, as I lay wide awake. I didn't dare look at the clock.

I turned to my right side, shutting my eyes.

Oh, how I wished this day was something relaxing!

Something _special…_

Like Christmas…

I didn't know when I opened my eyes.

But I _did_ know that I wasn't in the same place where I'd gone to sleep.

A playful chill blew through the air, tickling my face.

But it was anything but welcoming. The place I had fallen asleep in had been warm.

And it wasn't the right season for it to be cold, anyway.

So I sat up from the bed as quickly as I could, rapidly looking out a window.

Snow blanketed the ground, turning the world white. I could tell I was still in Cerulean, with its blue buildings all over the place. However, the blue was being overtaken by a relentless storm of snow. I wondered how long it would be before everything was covered.

I strained my ears, listening for Cerulean's roaring waters.

But there was nothing, and I realized they'd all been frozen to solid ice.

A shiver ran down my back, and I knew it wasn't because it was cold.

No, it was because _it was winter_ , and I had no idea why.

It wasn't winter when I went to sleep…

So why would it be now?

Perhaps my companions were here? Maybe they would know what happened…

I took a deep breath, shouting. "Anabel, Kahili, Lucy, Tulip, what's going on?"

But there was nothing.

Even Tulip, the Pokémon that I'd been with since the beginning of my journeys, was eerily silent.

I glanced around wildly, thinking I'd eventually see the others.

But all I saw was the wall of Cerulean's Pokémon Center.

If my companions weren't here, then perhaps _my Pokémon_ could give me some answers…

But when I reached down to grab a Poké Ball, my hand only hit emptiness.

I couldn't help letting out a scream.

I _always_ had Pokémon with me! Why weren't they here now?

Why was I _alone,_ in this strange place?

Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught my eye.

Perhaps I wasn't alone after all.

Two shapes came towards me, but I couldn't make out what they were.

Instead, they were only faceless shadows, flanking both sides of the bed.

Perhaps the shadows were Pokémon. After all, they _had_ rushed to my side when I screamed about my other ones.

But I had no way of knowing. If the shadows _were_ Pokémon, then they weren't any I was familiar with.

And why were they here, rather than my usual ones? The new Pokémon still didn't give me any clue what was going on…

Perhaps if I looked around the room, I'd find answers.

I stole a glance to my right, noticing my dark blue walker alongside one of the shadows.

A huge sigh of relief escaped me.

At least _one thing_ was normal here.

With that, I grabbed my wheeled machine, rapidly swinging myself into it.

I tried not to flinch as the shadows followed the contraption I dragged behind me.

I didn't _know them,_ but clearly they _knew me._

And they thought that I was someone worth protecting. Or at least, worth following.

Regardless, I parked myself by the window, staring straight at the winter wonderland.

The blizzard had begun to let up, but the city was still full of snow.

Now I could see little trees, normally green branches coated in white. I had to admire how pretty they looked, glistening snow contrasting well with the green that stubbornly poked out from underneath.

Yet suddenly, a high-pitched sound pierced my ears.

It had been a while since I'd last heard the sound, but I could recognize it anywhere.

The air was filled with the ringing of bells.

There must've been at least several dozen different melodies, yet they all blended together into one single song.

They blended so well, it was as if the _bells themselves_ were singing.

And it was like they were calling me, _daring_ me to go outside.

Yet I resisted.

No matter what, I knew better than to head out into the cold with no real idea of where I was.

And yet…

It was so peaceful here.

And the bells only amplified that feeling, their music being a symbol of peace.

Peace, so unlike what happened mere hours ago…

So unlike what was _still_ happening, and what was going to come…

I clenched my fist, closed my eyes, and gritted my teeth.

The shadows crawled closer to me, but they brought little comfort.

I still had no idea where I was or why I was here, _and now_ I was upset on top of it…

So I glanced around, looking for a calendar. Maybe knowing a date would help…

My eyes caught sight of a wall calender in the corner of the room, and my face paled when I saw the date.

December 25.

Christmas morning.

My vision swam as I uselessly tried to blink back tears. I balled my hand into a fist, slamming it against my knee.

For the first time in as long as I could remember, I wouldn't be home for Christmas.

I knew I hadn't contacted my family. They were probably worried.

And because they lived in that faraway region, they probably couldn't contact me either…

Another song played through my head.

One I had heard many times, but did not understand fully until now.

It was a tragic song... One about soldiers not being home for Christmas… How they could only come home in their dreams…

Was I like them? Was I _going_ to be?

I shook my head.

I couldn't think such hapless thoughts now.

So I quickly stole a glance at my clothing.

I immediately stifled a sob.

There was no red… No green… No flashing lights, bells or sleighs…

There weren't any snowmen, or reindeer. Not even any Christmas trees, or gifts.

There was _nothing_ festive at all.

Only a simple, dark blue nightgown.

My vision blurred even more, as I realized what this meant.

Regardless of what year this was, _I had no intention of celebrating Christmas._

All because of some stupid conflict that I (probably) started.

I could feel the hot tears threatening to trickle down my face, and I briefly thought about letting them.

Christmas was _always_ one of my favorite holidays.

Despite all my travels…

No matter _how_ far away I was…

I promised my family they could count on me being home for Christmas.

And every year, _I kept my word._

Now, for the first time, I'd broken my promise.

My family couldn't count on me.

Perhaps it was like the song, and I'd be home in my dreams.

But doubt formed along with a lump in my throat.

A dream was just a dream.

Now I couldn't stop the tears from overflowing, watching them as they splashed onto the floor. I could see the shadows were still by my side, but they brought little comfort.

The only thing I could feel were the tears running down my face, and all I could hear was my own quiet sobbing.

I was without my Pokémon _and_ my traveling companions.

I still had no idea _where_ I was…

 _And_ I learned I would break a promise that I had held for many years…

And this was _after_ all the stress I'd already suffered only hours ago…

What _else_ could go wrong?

Suddenly, I was alerted to another sound. It seemed like bells, and I wondered if it was the ones I'd heard before.

But these bells sounded different.

Closer.

And they carried no song, only a jingle.

I blinked.

It _was_ Christmas morning.

Could the bells be…

No, that wasn't real…

But I might as well go check…

So, I somehow stopped my sobbing and used my hand to wipe my tears.

I made my way to the door of the Center, the shadows loyally traveling after me.

I rapidly swung the door open, and could feel my eyes going wide.

In front of me was a chair that looked like a giant sleigh. It had the telltale red and white, and I could see some green. The chair was adorned with gold and silver bells, producing the ringing I'd heard before.

But what was even more impressive than the sleigh was what was pulling it.

In the front stood a little white and brown fox, antlers and a bow on its body.

This was a Pokémon. Eevee, I knew.

It let out a cheerful cry, and I wondered if it had found me on purpose.

The little Pokémon reminded me of Rudolph, and I thought this was someone's idea of a joke.

After all, Eevee (usually) wasn't made fun of, and it didn't have a bright red nose. Last time I checked, it was not interested in reindeer games.

The Eevee let out another cry, gesturing behind it. I now could see that this Eevee was leading several other Pokémon, but I didn't know what they were.

So, I took another step forward, and gasped.

For there were all of Eevee's evolutions, attached to the sleigh. And they all had tiny antlers and the same bows.

Vaporeon, with its shimmering blue… Flareon, with its blazing red flames, Jolteon, with its deadly yellow spikes and lightning bolts… Espeon, radiating with psychic power… Umbreon, with its eternal blackness… Glaceon, icy body shaking off the snow like it was nothing… Leafeon, carrying the scent of pine… Even Sylveon, with its multicolored ribbons…

Eight in total, counting Eevee.

Just like Santa's reindeer…

So someone had dressed them up like that, and they were pulling something that looked like a sleigh…

But there weren't any presents in the sleigh…

So what was it for?

Rapidly, the psychic power around the Espeon grew stronger, and all the Pokémon were unhooked from the sleigh.

Now, the Vaporeon glowed with a blue energy. My tears dried, and their stains disappeared from my face.

Vaporeon could absorb water. Of course that would include tears…

I could see an item being moved from the safety of the sleigh seat, and quickly noticed it was clothing. I could also see other things, like a hair clip and a brush.

Why would the Espeon want to give me those?

I didn't care much for clothing, and I _certainly_ didn't need anything new… Same with the other items…

But the Eevee now gestured to the other Pokémon.

Espeon took the lead. Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, Sylveon, and Leafeon followed. The rest of the Pokémon stayed to guard the sleigh, despite no longer being attached.

What was so important that they had to guard a sleigh that had nothing inside?

Yet the sleigh was no longer my concern as the remaining Pokémon surrounded me. The Flareon gave me a nudge, and I was led back inside the Pokémon Center. The Pokémon kept going, until everyone finally reached the changing room in the back. The shadows waited outside, as if they knew I would need privacy.

And privacy I did need.

Because I quickly learned something about myself.

I was used to having a Pokémon help me get dressed, but _not_ when it wasn't my own.

And _especially_ not when wasn't trained.

But the Pokémon here did _try_ to help _._

Flareon's flame gave me warmth, which prevented me from freezing when I was suddenly stripped of my nightgown. Jolteon brought light to the dark room. Sylveon wrapped its ribbons around me, and I instantly relaxed.

At least until I was led into a bathtub full of hot water, courtesy of Vaporeon. Luckily, it _eventually_ got the temperature figured out.

Espeon did most of the work. It did everything from changing my clothes, to brushing my hair, to even helping me get out of the bathtub. It didn't _quite_ know how to make the correct psychic movements, though, and a few times I almost fell.

I couldn't help thinking how awkward this was, so different from the smooth transitions of my own Pokémon.

But after a while, my clothing was completely changed, and Espeon stepped back.

Leafeon finally took its place, and I could smell a sweet fragrance that made its way onto my body.

I'd never been one for perfume, but apparently whoever bought the Pokémon here wanted me to wear it.

After all was said and done, I stole a glance at my clothing again.

I couldn't resist breaking out into a grin.

All the festive designs I was missing before were there.

The red… The green… The bells… The lights…

Even the snowmen and the reindeer.

The Pokémon were trying to dress me up for _something,_ but _what?_

And I _still_ wasn't home.

Yet Espeon threw a jacket on me, and the rest of the Pokémon surrounded me again.

The shadows rejoined me, and I headed back to where the sleigh was.

Yet I hesitated.

How would I get _in_ the sleigh? My walker couldn't travel well in snow, and I wasn't sure how both the shadows and I were going to fit.

And _then_ there was the matter of getting the _walker_ in.

Yet Espeon gently lifted me up, comfortably securing me in the sleigh. The shadows were beside me once again, having got in there easily.

I still wondered how the Pokémon would get the walker in, but Espeon simply lifted it up like it was a feather. None of the Pokémon pulling the sleigh seemed to mind as it floated above them.

Rapidly, the others took their places and Espeon attached them all again.

The Eevee nodded, and suddenly, my surroundings radiated with psychic power. Espeon shouted something, and everything was warped away.

The first thing I became aware of afterward was the feeling of snow and wind whipping across my face. I could now see why I'd been given the jacket.

I figured I was in one of the routes near the cities, but couldn't tell which one.

I wondered if this was some sort of mistake, because Espeon weren't as good at teleporting as other species of psychic Pokémon.

But none of the Pokemon pulling the sleigh seemed concerned, as they ran at breakneck speed.

More than once, the snow from their steps flew near me, but Glaceon protected me with its own cloak of snow. Between the jacket and the Pokémon, I was finally warm.

However, a shiver ran down my spine.

I still had _no idea_ where they were taking me. Obviously, they wanted to get me somewhere before Christmas ended, but I wondered if they would make it.

I stared out into the snow, and noticed more white on the horizon.

However, this whiteness was different than the snow that plummeted from the sky.

It was like a ghost that floated through the area, almost transparent as it covered everything. And instead of falling fearlessly, it rolled in quietly. It was like a mist, and as transparent as it was, I still could see almost nothing past it.

I grimaced.

Ground fog. This would make the voyage treacherous.

Now I _wished_ Eevee was a shiny red nosed reindeer.

But even without the red nose, Eevee seemed to know where it was going. There wasn't even a flicker of concern in its eyes, and it led the way confidently. It looked like the others trusted it, as they simply kept surging forward. I could make out Flareon's flames, Jolteon's lightning, and Umbreon's glowing rings.

I let out a sigh of relief. Eevee didn't need a red nose… The others would be its light…

On and on the sleigh raced. All I could see was snow, slush, and fog.

Would this go on forever?

All of a sudden, the sleigh slowed down. I wondered why, but I figured maybe the Pokémon wanted me to look around.

Cautiously, I looked up, and my jaw dropped.

In front of me was Celadon City.

Like everything else I'd seen, the entire place was covered in white. The snow fell as hard as ever, and I thought anyone that wanted it got their wish.

There was red and green in the whole city, and more types of lights than I ever thought possible.

Reindeer…

Snowmen…

Trees with stars…

Giant signs that read Merry Christmas…

Ornaments of all colors…

Gingerbread cookies and candy canes…

Even sleighs with Santa, so much like the one I was riding in right now…

Music blasted in my ears, a thousand different songs, and yet they all blended perfectly into one powerful tune.

I could still hear the bells, singing and calling to me. Even in a place like this, they still carried their message of peace.

It was like a giant party, and I wondered if I was the only one not attending.

But I soon saw other people, as children smiled and waved when the sleigh passed. Perhaps they had been expecting me to be here, but I still had no idea _why._

I spotted some mistletoe hanging somewhere. Perhaps if I jumped out of the sleigh and ran under it, someone would kiss me.

I let out a defeated sigh, as I remembered I was still single.

And with how chaotic my life was right now, that _probably_ wouldn't change anytime soon.

I continued staring at the lights, wondering if one of them was a gleaming love light.

However, it was long past Christmas Eve, so it was a bit late for that.

I doubted the love light was here anymore.

A rapid glance to my right, and I couldn't stop the tears from welling up.

The city was littered with enormous green trees, most having fake presents under them.

Would my family have presents for me under the tree this year?

It was unlikely, since I wouldn't be home.

And my family was so far away I doubted they could safely mail Christmas presents to me.

I traveled so much that they probably wouldn't know _where_ to mail them.

I let the tears fall again.

No matter how festive I was now, there was no ignoring the fact that I _still_ wasn't home for Christmas.

But I could see the Vaporeon glowing again as it dried my tears. The Pokémon all continued on without a word, and I _still_ had no idea where they were taking me.

That is, until the music got louder.

I thought about getting up and dancing, but figured jumping out of the sleigh wouldn't be the best idea.

The lights were now almost blinding, red and green transforming everything. The bells shouted their message loud and clear, and I couldn't ignore their call.

The Pokémon headed towards the music, the bells and the lights.

However, I could still quickly notice some other things.

Mistletoe was everywhere. I thought perhaps we would be stopping under it after all, but the Pokémon simply continued. More of those trees and their fake presents dotted the landscape, but I looked away.

The Pokémon picked up the pace, and I wondered if they were finally nearing their destination.

Yet now the music got even louder, almost deafening…

The lights were more varied, and brighter…

The bells screamed their message…

There wasn't a place where mistletoe didn't hang…

The trees and their fake presents became a forest…

 _But then…_

The sleigh slowly stopped.

I glanced up as Espeon unhooked the others from the sleigh.

A giant mansion loomed before me. I didn't think the music could get any louder, but it was. In fact, it blared so much that I could clearly hear it outside. The lights shone as brightly as ever, illuminating the entire building. The trees and mistletoe dwarfed the forest from before, and I knew I couldn't get away from it. I could hear people talking and laughing, although I could not catch anything they were saying. Occasionally, I heard cheerful screams, and they sounded like a child's.

Obviously there was a massive Christmas party, and _someone_ wanted me there.

Normally I would've rushed right in, but now a chill ran down my spine.

There was only _one person_ in Celadon that would own a mansion like this.

The Gym Leader, Erika.

But why would _Erika_ invite me to a party? I had no connection to her… Well, no more than any other Trainer's…

I was drawn away from my thoughts as Espeon was surrounded by psychic power.

It gently lowered by my walker onto the sidewalk, then lifted me out of the sleigh. As soon as my feet hit the ground, the shadows were at my side.

I glanced back at Eevee and the others, but they only looked at me expectantly.

They didn't have to speak to tell me what they wanted me to do.

So I took a deep breath, and trudged up to the mansion's heavy doors. I could barely reach the doorbell, but I somehow managed to ring it.

I heard the sound of someone scurrying, and the massive door swung open wide.

There were a bunch of people, perhaps more than I'd ever seen.

But one in particular was at the front, dressed in her familiar kimono.

Erika.

A wide smile crossed her face, and she threw her arms around me in a hug.

Erika spoke softly, but I was sure everyone in the room could hear.

"Merry Christmas, Kristine, and welcome home."

Those words…

 _Welcome home._

I shut my eyes as I hugged her back.

The tears finally came, and I made no effort to stop them.

I might not have known where my traveling companions and Pokémon were.

I might not have known why someone sent a bunch of Pokémon to take me across cities to a Christmas party.

But I knew what _welcome home_ meant.

Erika and her guests treated me _like family._

And as far as Erika was concerned, her home _was mine._

So…

Even if I couldn't be with my family far away…

Even if I couldn't make it to their house…

I hadn't broken any promises.

Because I had still made it home for Christmas _._

I opened my eyes, and the snow and sleigh were gone.

I was back in Cerulean's Pokémon Center, my traveling companions sleeping in their own beds.

My nose bled onto the pillow, the way it always did when I had a strange dream.

But I didn't care.

Instead, I smiled.

Because I had only one thought in my head.

I hoped that dream would come true.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **-So as I stated in the summary, this story was written for the Christmas challenge on the website The Artist's Zone. Participants could write a maximum of two stories about anything they wanted as long as it was Christmas related. The stories had to be 2000 words or less. However, I got permission from the person running the challenge to make my story more than 2000 words when I realized it wouldn't fit the word limit. However, I decided to keep the more rapid and slightly less descriptive style from when I was originally trying to make it fit into 2000 words.**

 **There are several Christmas songs referenced in this story. The first one is a song called Sing for Peace. It begins with someone admiring a tiny tree (presumably a Christmas tree) and how lovely the branches are. After that, bells start ringing (accompanied by actual bells in the song that continue until the end). The person thinks about how they can hear the bells calling them, and that they're calling for peace. This is repeated as a chant throughout the song, along with different people saying they also hear the bells calling. The song puts forth the idea that the bells are constantly ringing through the air and that they're also ringing in people's hearts. Eventually, there is the concept that _peace itself_ is calling to the people hearing the bells. While this is going on, there are also several different expressions in foreign languages, all of them meaning "peace" or "sing peace".**

 **-The second song is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. In this song, there is a young reindeer with a glowing red nose. He gets made fun by the other reindeer, who won't even let him participate in typical games. Eventually, Santa visits on a foggy Christmas Eve. He asks Rudolph to guide his sleigh with his glowing red nose. Rudolph agrees, succeeds, and is hailed as a hero from then on.**

 **-The final song, referenced throughout, is I'll Be Home for Christmas. This song was originally written to honor soldiers who couldn't be home with their families on Christmas. It begins with someone saying that they will be home for Christmas and that their family can count on them. The person asks for snow, mistletoe, and presents under the tree. They say Christmas Eve will find them where the love light is gleaming. The song ends by saying the person will be home for Christmas, if only in their dreams.**

 **-I got the inspiration for this story from I'll be home for Christmas, because I always wanted to write a story based on that song. However, I was unsure of what to write about, because I wasn't sure who in Pokémon would fit the song and its theme of someone longing to return home in time for Christmas, but being unable to. The only person who could (Surge) had long since been home from war.**

 **Then I was writing the notes for Usurping.**

 **-I had written down that the protagonist for that story loved her family and Christmas as traits. Unfortunately, I realized it was unlikely that she would be able to return to her family in time for Christmas, because the conflict in Usurping would keep her away from home. I combined that with her previous traits, and this story was born.**

 **I did make a small alteration from the song it was based on, however. I realized I'll be Home for Christmas was a sad song, with the people only returning home in their dreams. So I wanted a happier ending without compromising the theme. Since I already had written that Kristine would eventually become close with Erika, the former getting invited to the latter's Christmas party seemed like a natural conclusion. For those wondering, the dream will be elaborated on later in the series, but that won't be for a while.**

 **-The idea of Eevee and its evolutions pulling a sleigh was based on a Christmas T-shirt I saw. In it, the Eevee evolutions were pulling the sleigh, with Eevee in the lead. They are wearing anthers and other festive clothing, and Santa was in the sleigh. So I took inspiration from that scene, minus Santa.**

 **-The abilities of the Eevee evolutions are mostly based on the games. Vaporeon has an ability called Water Absorb. This makes it so that any water attack that hits it heals it instead. Umbreon's rings can be seen glowing in the games, and the Pokédex entries state that they glow for various reasons. Leafeon is mentioned as having different scents in Pokedex entries (hence the reason it used to give perfume). Glaceon has an ability that raises its evasion in hail, and is immune to damage from it. This ability is called Snow Cloak, hence why the narrator mentions a cloak of snow that protects her. Espeon is never seen teleporting in the games, and cannot learn the move. However, I needed something that could teleport because the group had to get from city to city quickly. So instead I came up with the idea that Espeon can teleport, but not as well as other species (like those that can actually learn the move Teleport)**

 **-The idea of Pokémon Centers having changing rooms comes from the games. When customization was introduced, all Pokémon Centers were given changing rooms. In these rooms, the protagonist could choose between different outfits that they had obtained during the game.**

 **-Erika owning a mansion is inspired by the Pokémon Special manga, and to a lesser extent, the games. In the Pokémon Special manga, it is stated Erika is the daughter of the richest family in Celadon. In the Pokémon world, (most notably, the anime) mansions are often depicted as being owned by people that have a lot of money. And in all media, there are mansions in Celadon. Therefore, Erika owning a mansion (or at least, her parents owning one and she decides to use it sometimes) didn't seem too unreasonable.**


End file.
